it's unfortunate. there are a lot of reasons for it: the disparity between supply and demand for academic jobs, the fact that academia selects for very specific backgrounds and personalities, the fact that many people discover that they don't enjoy it or that it isn't actually something that they want to do for the rest of their lives.

it's probably worth realizing early that the continued functioning of academia relies on people leaving academia, and that this machine is going to be progressively sifting people out of your life

fwiw

@TylerLawson I think it helps to realize that these skills we learn/have are actually desired in industry. They don't care about spectral sequences or whatever, but apparently we (not me but friends who have gone into industry) do really well out there. The fact that we can learn abstract concepts relatively easily is desirable... or so I am told.

I think it doesn't help that the language we use about people leaving academia is so negative. Words like quit instead of left have a specific connotation for me as a native english speaker, but not for others. I think this leads to it being a sad idea that they left when I think it is unhealthy (speaking personally) to feel/think that way.

Sean, I agree completely and I'm sorry if I gave the impression that I think that leaving academia is a negative for the people who are doing so.

@TylerLawson Oh, you didn't at all. I haven't heard you use any such language. One thing that happens though is I don't think people in the US talk about their students who don't stay in academia. It just feels a lot like you will let a lot of people down if you leave because they invested time and energy in your education and the unspoken goal is somehow to do research. It just seems a lot different here in Germany. It seems much more accepted.

These are likely my hang ups, but I have a feeling I am not alone.

possibly the culture of TeXing lecture notes, recording conferences, writing up computations without expectation of publication, this chatroom etc. will make it easier for we departed to maintain some level of activity, and maybe even a bit more traffic in and out of academia.